A Gift From Remus
by Remmy L
Summary: It is Christmas, and Remus is feeling miserable. Inspired by an act of kindness from Dumbledore, however, he decides it is high time that he sends a gift himself. Please R/R!


Remus Lupin adjusted the scarf he was wearing so that it covered his face better. The cold winter wind was blowing viciously in his face. It seemed, Remus thought bitterly, the entire season mocked him.

Remus had now reached the village in which he lived. From most of the windows he could see Christmas trees brightly lit with magical, colourful lights. This did not make him merry like it would some, it merely reminded him of what he didn't have.

He avoided looking at his neighbour's Christmas decorations and pushed the door to his shabby home open. Closing the door tight and bolting it shut, something caught Remus' eye. An envelope.

He picked it up with numb fingers (he had forgotten to put his gloves on) and recognised the slanted writing instantly - _Dumbledore._

He opened the envelope right there in the hallway and pulled a Christmas card out from within the envelope.

_Happy Christmas Remus_ was written on the front of the home made Christmas card. Remus opened it and found, unsurprisingly, that it was indeed from Dumbledore.

Dumbledore made him a card every year. It was the one card he actually got and it was a comfort that _somebody_ still thought of him. Smiling a little, he pulled off his heavy travelling cloak and went into the sitting room.

He took the only seat in the room and set the card on the table next to it. He'd have to go and get Dumbledore a card tomorrow - it was too late to go tonight. He had completely forgotten about Dumbledore's annual kindness and felt a little guilty.

_I'll get him some of those Muggle sweets he likes so much too_, thought Remus. He owed the Headmaster more than just that Christmas card after all.

Remus sighed and picked up a framed picture from the table and looked at it.

It was a photograph of he, James, Sirius and Peter. The couldn't have been older than fifteen at the time and, judging by their expressions, were clueless that they'd one day be in tatters.

He set the photograph down. It was best not to dwell on what was no more. Peter and James were dead and Sirius was in Azkaban serving a life sentence. He was the sole remaining marauder.

Of course, there was still his friend's son - Harry Potter. He hadn't seen the boy since the Potters' deaths. He knew the boy was with his relatives - aunt and uncle - and was probably a lot happier than he himself was feeling.

He still couldn't help but wish he'd done more for James' son. Surely he should have seen him, checked on him and contributed somewhat in his life.

_Yes,_ thought Remus guiltily, _I should have done more_.

He may not have been picked as Godfather but since the _actual_ Godfather was rotting in Azkaban for mass murder the position was surely vacant.

Remus stood up and checked his watch. He stood thinking quickly for a moment before rushing out into his hallway again, grabbing his cloak and disapparating.

***

Number Four, Privet Drive was a lot less shabby than his humble home. Even the grass seemed to be perfect with every blade seemingly uniform.

Remus walked up to the doorway and took a deep breath. He wasn't used to dealing with strangers. He had, in recent years, become somewhat of a recluse.

_You're doing this for Harry, for James,_ Remus reminded himself fiercely and ringing the doorbell before he could think himself out of it.

The door swung one and he was confronted with a large, beefy, moustached man who looked - for one reason or another - livid.

"_Yes?_" he demanded rudely.

"H-hello," said Remus nervously, not having expected this greeting at all. "My name is -"

"I don't care what your name is," snarled the man. "What do you _want_?"

"Uh-," said Remus, momentarily forgetting himself. "Oh yes, I have a present for Harry Potter. He lives here, I believe?"

The man looked like he was going to say no when his small, piggy eyes saw the parcel Remus was holding. He frowned, thinking for a moment.

"Yes," he said, suddenly pleasant (which rather startled Remus). "Yes, Harry lives here - he's having a bath at the moment, I'm afraid, so you can't see him."

"Oh, well," said Remus, "would you mind giving him this from me?"

The man took the gift from him and then hastily slammed the door shut in Remus' face.

Remus frowned for a moment before deciding that the man probably was just being protective. After all, who knocked on your door at this hour bearing a gift for an unrelated eight year old boy?

Remus shook his head but couldn't help but stop the slow smile that formed on his face.

When they realised the gift was, indeed, a gift - they'd surely give it to Harry. Laughing merrily for the first time in years, Remus turned on the spot and disapparated, the smile on his face brightening his whole complexion.

---

Inside Number Four, Vernon Dursley was inspecting the package which he had just unwrapped. He had to make sure what was in it before giving it out.

It turned out to be a chess set, and a right good set too. _This must have cost a lot of money_, thought Vernon frowning. _Who'd want to give the boy this?_

Shrugging he wrapped it in premium, gold wrapping paper - far nicer than the plain brown paper that untidy man had wrapped it in. He fished in a box for a paper label, finaly finding a suitable one.

He took hold of his best, golden pen and wrote, tidily and neatly.

_Happy Christmas Dudley, With Love From Mum and Dad_

Smiling broadly, Vernon slipped the present under the tree next to Dudley's already massive pile.

Whistling to himself, he went into the kitchen to make himself a cup of tea.


End file.
